Someone or something, especially, a television station, that is associated with a larger, related organization, such as a television network; a member of a group of associated things.

“Our local TV channel is an affiliate of NBC.”

To adopt; to receive into a family as one's offspring

To bring or receive into close connection; to ally.

(said of an illegitimate child) To fix the paternity of

“to affiliate the child to (or on or upon) one man rather than another”